On Friday the American Diabetes Association is set to kick of its annual scientific session in San Francisco. Diabetes focused organizations have already begun to make announcements ahead of the show. MobiHealthNews compiled a roundup of the diabetes-related news coming out this week.   

GLOOKO, T1D TEAM UP

This morning, diabetes management platform Glooko announced that it is teaming up with Boston-based diabetes research nonprofit T1D Exchange, in an effort to integrate anonymized diabetes device data into T1D Exchanges Quality Improvement collaborative. 

The goal of the collaborative is to gain better data and insights into patient outcomes. Now researchers will be able to look at the glucose results, insulin pumps, continuous glucose monitoring systems, smart insulin pens. 

"The T1D Exchange partnership with Glooko will provide clinicians with an entirely new level of insight by giving them for the first-time access to analyzed raw device data linked with EMR data,” Rebecca Parkes, Interim Chief Operating Officer at T1D Exchange, said in a statement. “We will be able to use these comprehensive data analytics to ultimately expand outcome measures for T1D and move beyond A1c, informing our effort and mission to improve outcomes for people living with the disease." 

T1D EXCHANGE LAUNCHES ONLINE REGISTRY

This news comes just a day after the T1D Exchange unveiled a new open online patient data registry. The new platform was developed to collect information from both children and adults with diabetes. 

Patients can register online and are then asked to complete a questionnaire about their health and follow up once per year to provide updates. The organization promises that the data collected will be encrypted, with individuals assigned a randomly generated identification number in place of their name, according to the nonprofit, and all study results will be free of any identifying data.

RIMIDI, COMPANION WORK TOGETHER ON INSULIN PENS

Cloud-connected diabetes management startup Rimidi has inked a deal with Companion Medical, a smart insulin injection delivery service, which is set to integrate the latter’s connected insulin pen and app into the former’s platform. As part of the new integration, a patient’s insulin pen data can be transferred through the cloud to a provider’s network. Providers can use the Rimidi platform to visualize a patient’s condition. The technology also pairs a person’s condition with relevant data. 

“We are excited about this partnership with Companion Medical, as this is the first known project in which the real promise of connected diabetes care is realized,” Josh Claman, CEO of Rimidi, said in a statement. “As such, clinicians will be able to see all relevant patient data within their existing workflow — no separate sign-in, no missing pieces — and match near-real time glucose readings with dosing information to make more informed clinical decisions.”

SMART METER LAUNCHES WEBSITE

Maker of the iGlucose Diabetes Care Solution, Smart Meter has unveiled a new website aimed at helping providers learned about CMS’ new reimbursement codes for remote patient monitoring. The platform dubbed ReimbursableROM.com was developed specifically to educate and break down CMS’ new codes that are part of the 2019 Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program. 

“We’re excited to help build awareness of RPM and participate in delivering its benefits to both patients and clinicians. The new CPT codes for RPM reflect the importance of connected health technology in supporting enhanced levels of care to patient populations outside of the clinical setting, especially with chronic illnesses such as diabetes,” Cliff McIntosh, CEO of Smart Meter, said in a statement. “Now, healthcare providers may be reimbursed for time spent implementing remote patient monitoring strategies and reviewing patient data between office visits. We’ve already seen RPM improve patient outcomes through our simplified cellular technology. Our glucose cellular solution is an ideal tool to meet both patient and provider needs.”

GLYTEC INTRODUCES THERAPY ADVISOR FOR TREATMENT PLANS 

Glytec, a diabetes therapy management software company, has dropped its latest product the Therapy Advisor. Developed to help clinicians figure out the best medications or treatment for a patient, the new technology will expand on the company’s eGlycemic Management system. The Therapy Advisor can work multiple care settings including the inpatient, outpatient and virtual. 

“For primary care providers, diabetes can be an extremely challenging condition to manage. When it comes to diabetes medications, there are literally tens of thousands of possible combinations. Choosing what’s best for any one patient is a daunting task,” Andrew Rhinehart, Glytec’s chief medical officer, said in a statement. “With Therapy Advisor, providers will have evidence-based guidance on which diabetes medications are most likely to be successful for a patient, with consideration given to relevant clinical variables and personal preferences, including affordability. When appropriate, this can be used for purposes of patient engagement and shared decision-making.”